Cot.



No. 687,722. Patented Dec. 3, |90l. F. G. BULLDCK & T. HABFURD.

CUT.

(Applcntion filed Nqv. 8, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

FREDERICK G. BULLOCK AND THOMAS HARFORD, OF OTTERVILLE, CANADA,

OF OTTERVILLE, CANADA, A JOINT-STOCK COMPANY,

CANADA.

OF ONTARIO,

COT.

SPECIFXGA'ILON forming part of Letters atent Application filed November 8, 190

No. 687,722, dated December s, 1901.

0. Serial No. 35,890. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, .FREDERICK G. BUL- LooK and THoMAs HAEEORD, residents of Otterville, in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cots, of which the following is a specification.

Our invent-ion pertains to a cot; and its object is to provide novel and eflicient'means ro whereby the cot may be folded conveniently and compactly.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of our cot in extended form ready for use; Fig. 2, a perspective of the cot folded, but with i 5 the canvas removed, so as to more clearly illustrate the framework; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the middle portion of one of the side rails on a larger scale than shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4t, a section on line e of zo Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a perspective of one of the connecting-plates; Fig.' 6, a perspective of a staple device; Fig. 7, a detail ofthe fastening-pin, and Fig. S an elevation of a modified form of construction.

The cot comprises, essentially, the two side rails,with canvas between them, and provided with folding legs beneath. These legs 1 and the folding braces 2 and canvas 2a are made and arranged in the usual and well-known 3o way andtherefore require no detailed description or illustration. The side rails are similarly made and provided with similar attachments, so that a description of one side rail will sufice, the corresponding parts of both rails being similarly indicated by reference characters. The side rail is made in two sections 3 and 4, preferably equal in length and connected at their meeting ends with a suitable hinge device, such as the hinge 5.

4o The leaves of this hinge are preferably provided with side ianges 6 on one or both sides and tting closely along the inner and outer faces of the rail if double iianges are used. The hinge may be secured to the sections of the rail in any suitable manner, as by the screws 7.v On the under edge of the rail a connector is provided, and as suitable and efficient for this purpose we prefer to use the one illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 of the draw- 5o ings.

This connector comprises a plate 8,

both sides of which are preferably provided with flanges 9, fitting closely against the sides of the rail and preferably meeting or approaching the flanges 6 of the hinge in order that lateral movement of the rail-sections may be the better prevented, so that the plate ,may be foldably secured to one railsection, which is preferable. The plate forms, in fact, one leaf of a hinge, whose other leaf 10 is stationary and secured to the section 3 in any suitable manner. The plate is provided near its outer end with a longitudinal slot 11, which receives a staple 12, secured to the section 4. As shown in Fig. 6, this staple is preferably made integral with a plate or block 13, screwed or otherwise fastened to the rail. A key or pin 14 enters the hole 15 of the staple and holds the parts together. This key preferably has a lateral projection 16, entering a side opening 17, so that after the key is turned it cannot accidentally drop out. This key may have a chain 18 to fasten it to the rail or to the plate. To relieve the hinge of longitudinal strain,a pin 19 is arranged in the rail-section v 3 and engaged by a corresponding hole 2O in the plate 8.

In Fig. 8 is illustrated a modified form of connector, in which the same is not hinged to the rail. It comprises the plate 21, having slotsl similar to slot 11, so as to receive the two staples 22. It also has the side flanges 23, similar to the preferred form.

Assuming that the cot is in its folded condition, the same isset up for use in the following inanner, so far as the novel features hereinbefore described are concerned: The sections of the rails are first swung on their hinges, so as to be extended end to end, and the connectors or plates are then swung into position, with their slots 11 receiving the staples 12, after which the keys are inserted. The pins 19 are at the same time received by the holes 20. The cot is now extended and its legs xed in position. In order to provide for proper folding, the canvas is preferably cut away on both sides, as at 24:.

By the use of our connectors the sections of side rails become as strong as continuous rails, inasmuch as the meeting ends of the roo sections are thoroughly supported, and also lateral movement is prevented by the anges. The continuous rails are objectionable in many cases on account of the room required; but our cot possesses all the advantages of the ordinary cot, with the additional advantage of foldinginto compact form for convenient shipment or storage.

While the side lianges on the leaves ofthe hinge 5 may be so proportioned as to meet or approximately meet at the parting line or joint between the sections of the rails, yet we prefer that the flange of one leaf should be extended to pass by this parting line or joint for the purpose of obtaining a very strong and rigid connection between these sections. By our construction of connecting devices the rails are made so stiff that a single pair of legs near each end of the cot is all that is required. Still further stitfening might be obtained by locating the hinge-pivot on one side of the parting line or joint.

Our cot is so constructed that it can be folded into compact form without taking off the fabric or canvas. The side rails, legs, and canvas are all folded together, with the legs entirely in the inside. One advantage of this arrangement resides in the fact that our folding cot is a complete article of manufacture, with the canvas attached and in place, so that the cot is ready to be set up. Another advantage consists i n having the legs folded in between the rails, so that fewer ends will project from the cot when folded.

Te claim- 1. A folding cot-frame comprising side rails each of which is made in two sections hinged together, and a connector hinged to one of the sections on each side and connecting the meeting ends of the sections and comprising a plate on one edge of the rail and provided with a iiange bearing on a face of the rail.

2. Afoldingcot-frame comprising side rails each of which is made in two sections hinged together and connectors for the meeting ends comprising plates hinged of the sections and at one end to one section, means for securing the other end of the plates to the other seetion, and pins in one of the sections, said plates having holes to receive the pins whereby the hinge is relieved of strain.

3. A folding cot-frame comprising side rails each made in two sections and hinged together and connectors for the meeting ends of the sections and comprisingplates S hinged to one set of sections atene ends and having side flanges 9, which plates are pivoted or hinged to the sections 3 and means for detachably securing the other end of the plates to the sections 4.

4. A folding cot-frame comprising side rails each made in two sections and hinged together and connectors for the meeting ends of the sections and comprising plates Shinged at one end to sections 3 and at one side of the meeting ends, staples in the sections 4, said plates having slots ll to receive the staples and pins or keys to pass through the staples.

5. Afoldingcot-frame comprisingside rails each made in two sections, hinges 5 on one edge of the rails to join the meeting ends of the sections, iianges G on the leaves of such hinges, and connectors on the opposite edge of the rails and comprising plates 8 having anges 9 engaging the rails and extending in close proximity to the hinge-flanges, and means for securing the connectors in place.

6. A folding cot-frame comprising side rails each made in two sections and connectors for connecting the meeting edges of the sections and comprising plates S having slots l1 and holes 20, pins 19 arranged on sections 3 and received by said holes 20, leaves l0 secured to the sections 3 and to which the plate is hinged, staples l2 arranged on the sections and received by the slots ll and pins H passing through the staples.

FREDERICK G. BULLOCK. THOMAS HARFORD. Witnesses:

ALK/IRA KAY, MARIA KAY.

side of the meeting 

